Candidate nomination and third party advertiser registration periods for the 2026 Municipal Elections begin on May 1

Candidate nomination and third party advertiser registration periods for the 2026 Municipal Elections begin on May 1.

The 2026 Municipal Elections will take place on Monday, October 26.

Friday, May 1, is the first day eligible individuals may file nomination forms for the Offices of Mayor, City Councillor and School Board Trustee. It is also the first day to file a notice of registration as a third party advertiser in the 2026 Municipal Elections. 

All nomination and registration forms must be filed in person at the City of Ottawa’s Elections Office. Prospective candidates, third party advertisers, or their agents are encouraged to schedule an appointment to file their nomination or registration forms and may contact the Elections Office by phone at 613-580-2660 or by email at elections@ottawa.ca in order to do so.

Becoming a candidate

Eligible individuals may consider running for one of the following offices: 

• Mayor – one elected at large
• City Councillor – one elected per ward (24 wards)
• School Board Trustee – one elected per school board zone (37 zones)
  • Ottawa-Carleton District School Board
  • Ottawa Catholic School Board
  • Conseil des écoles publiques de l'Est de l'Ontario
  • Conseil des écoles catholiques du Centre-Est

Eligibility requirements

A person is eligible to be a candidate for the Offices of Mayor or City Councillor if they are:

• A resident of the City of Ottawa, or an owner or tenant of land in the City of Ottawa, or the spouse of such an owner or tenant
• A Canadian citizen
• At least 18 years old
• Not legally prohibited from voting

A person is eligible to be a candidate for School Board Trustee if they are:

• A Canadian citizen
• At least 18 years old
• A resident within the board's area of jurisdiction
• A supporter of that school board
• Not legally prohibited from voting

A candidate must be eligible as of the day they file their nomination and must remain eligible throughout the election and, if elected, throughout the term of office. The 2026-2030 Term of Council ends on November 14, 2030.

Nomination requirements

To run in the 2026 Municipal Elections, candidates must:

1. File a completed Nomination Paper – Form 1.
2. File a completed Endorsement of Nomination - Form 2. This includes a declaration of qualification from at least 25 eligible electors endorsing their nomination. Note: This form is only required for candidates for Mayor and City Councillor. Candidates for School Board Trustee are not required to complete this form.
3. Pay a filing fee when filing their nomination forms, by cash, debit, credit card, certified cheque or money order:
   • The filing fee for candidates running for Mayor is $200
   • The filing fee for candidates running for City Councillor or School Board Trustee is $100  
4. Provide proof of identity.

Candidates, or their agents, may file their nomination forms beginning Friday, May 1, at 8:30 am until Friday, August 21, at 2 pm. Nomination forms are public documents and are available for inspection at the Elections Office.

Becoming a third party advertiser

A third party advertiser in a municipal election or by-election is an Ontario resident, corporation, or trade union that incurs expenses relating to an advertisement in any medium that supports or opposes a candidate in an election, or a "yes" or "no" answer to a question on the ballot. Note: At the time of writing of this PSA, it is not anticipated that there will be a question on the ballot for the 2026 Municipal Elections; however, the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing may direct a question be added on or before Friday, May 1. 

Individuals and entities who will conduct third party advertising in the 2026 Municipal Elections must register with the City Clerk before they can begin advertising.

Eligibility requirements

The following persons and entities are eligible to file a notice of registration to become a third party advertiser in the 2026 Municipal Elections:

• An individual who is normally a resident in Ontario
• A corporation that carries on business in Ontario
• A trade union that holds bargaining rights for employees in Ontario

Registration requirements

To register as a third party advertiser in the 2026 Municipal Elections, eligible persons or entities must: 

1. File a completed Notice of Registration - Third Party - Form 7.
2. File a completed declaration of qualification signed by the individual or by a representative of the corporation or trade union, as the case may be.
3. Provide proof of identity.

Ontario residents, corporations, trade unions, or their agents may file a notice of registration beginning Friday, May 1, at 8:30 am until Friday, October 23, at 4:30 pm. Registration forms are public documents and are available for inspection at the Elections Office.

Candidate and third party advertiser information sessions

The City of Ottawa Elections Office is hosting two virtual information sessions, one in English and one in French, for those interested in becoming a candidate or third party advertiser in the 2026 Municipal Elections. 

The information sessions will take place on Tuesday, April 21 (English) and Thursday, April 23 (French) at 6 pm. Please contact the Elections Office by phone at 613-580-2660 or email at elections@ottawa.ca to register.

Voting opportunities in the 2026 Municipal Elections

Eligible electors will have the opportunity to vote in person by special mail-in ballot or by proxy in the 2026 Municipal Elections.

For additional information about becoming a candidate or third party advertiser, voting opportunities, key dates, and other election-related items, visit ottawa.ca/vote or contact the Elections Office.

City of Ottawa Elections Office                

1221 B Cyrville Road                                                                      Ottawa, ON                                                             K1J 7S8Tel: 613-580-2660Email: elections@ottawa.ca                                                        

This notice is issued by Caitlin Salter MacDonald, City Clerk, in accordance with Section 32 of the Municipal Elections Act, 1996.